Chapter 90
KHALID’S VILLA
5:45 p.m.
I enter the villa and find myself face to face with Hakim and Khalid.
They both stare at me, puzzled. They try to pull out their weapons, but I immediately point mine at them.
“I suggest you stay calm because right now, I’m itching to put a bullet in both your heads.”
Khalid growls.
“What do you want, kid?”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Did you just call me a kid, or am I hallucinating?”
“Inara came crying into your arms so you could come save her like Prince Charming, is that it?” spits Hakim.
“You, shut the fuck up. I’m not talking to the lackey. Get lost.”
“Hakim, leave us. I need to talk to Alexander alone.”
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Hakim nods and heads toward the villa’s front door. As he walks past me, I shoulder–check him hard enough to make him lose balance. He glares at me and slams the door behind him. I lower my weapons.
“You’d be capable of killing me after everything we’ve been through?”
I glare at him.
“Don’t make me laugh. You and I? We’re strangers. Stop imagining a bond that never existed–it’s pathetic.”
“I’m basically your uncle. I worked with your father and your uncle, you know damn well I saw them as family! I always treated you
like a son!”
“Go fuck yourself. Seeing how you treat your daughter, I’d rather not imagine how you would’ve treated me!”
He sighs in frustration.
“Why have you become so cold with me? Don’t you remember I was the one who supported you after the tragic death of Nahel and then Housni? Housni was a hard man, but he’s still your father. When they died, I tried to keep helping you, but you pushed me away!”
I hate it when people bring up the past, especially my father.
“You’re forbidden from speaking about Nahel, understood? Let him rest in peace. He deserves respect, not to be associated with scum like you and Housni.”
“Housni was your father, whether you like it or not! Everything you own, you owe to him and no one else!”
“Since I was a kid, I’ve known you had nothing between your legs–because my father was the one holding them for you.”
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He glares at me, fists clenched.
“You don’t get to disrespect me under my own roof!”
I let out a nervous laugh.
“Who the hell are you to forbid me anything? You’re just a son of a bitch who’s been hitting his daughter since she was born!”
He shrugs.
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“Inara loves playing the victim. She’s trying to turn you against me to get what she wants. Stop pretending you care about her when we both know you’re manipulating her to get all the compromising info she has on me! Know that you’re wasting your time! You think I’m dumb enough to have confided in that little slut?”
I’m going to end up putting a bullet between his eyes if he keeps running his mouth. He thinks he knows me, but he doesn’t know
shit.
“I don’t need her to figure out who you are and realize how much of a piece of shit you are.”
“You expect me to believe you’d defend her if she weren’t my daughter, even knowing she tried to set you up in prison?”
Honestly, I don’t know what to say to that.
“You know what’s funniest in all of this? I used her to manipulate you and discover your secrets, and in the end, I figured it all out without her.”
He flashes a mocking smile while I stay impassive.
“I followed the logic: every place you went to had a specific meaning. I started suspecting something when you asked if Inara could go with you to Italy, and right after that, I heard Sergio had died. You never leave a trace, but you should’ve known I’d figure it out. Sergio was dumb enough to believe he could ally with you, when everyone knows you always work alone.”
I don’t respond.
“I never thought Nahel would’ve told you. He was blinded by how much he loved you. That was his final mistake before he died.
All this time, you’ve hidden everything you knew to reach your goal. I have to admit I’m impressed by your efficiency, I suppose you also met with Yasser, right? That bastard must’ve happily handed over that shit to you so he could wash his hands of it and never be associated with this again.”
I clench my jaw and aggressively step toward him. He keeps that smug smile.
“If you go near Yasser or his family, I’ll make you swallow your balls. Got it?”
“Don’t worry. I won’t go near him. He’s not worth my attention. Nahel, Sergio, Yasser–you got what you wanted from all of them. There’s only one piece of the puzzle left, and I’m the one who has it. So why haven’t you come to me yet?”
“Simple. I know you don’t have it.”
He looks shocked and irritated.
“How the hell would you know that?”
“You just confirmed it. It was predictable a dumbass like you would get robbed.”
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Chapter 90
I give him a bold smirk.
“You think this is funny? You realize that without that piece, all the others are worthless, right?”
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“I’ve got more than one trick up my sleeve. You’ll hear about this again soon. For now, I’m here to make it clear that I don’t want you going anywhere near Inara.”
“I won’t, not after she keeps her side of the deal.”
“She won’t sleep with anyone.”
I won’t allow it.
“Don’t tell me you’re actually interested in that little slut.”
I don’t know.
“Keep calm and speak with more respect when you talk about her.”
“Inara’s going to spread her legs for that man with or without your consent. Know why? Because she’s willing to do anything for
Maria.”
He disgusts me.
“How do you even look at yourself in the mirror? You feel no shame letting your daughter get fucked by a complete stranger–and you’re proud of it.”
“She’s worth a million euros. My scruples will be compensated with that sum.”
There’s actually someone out there willing to pay a million euros to sleep with her? What the hell is this?
“Give me one good reason not to blow your brains out!”
“If anything happens to me, my men have orders to kill Maria, then Inara.”
Bastard.
“I’ll make you a deal.”
“I’m listening.”
“You give me all the pieces of the puzzle you have, and I’ll spare Maria and Inara.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
He lets out a mocking laugh.
“I knew it. She doesn’t mean more to you than your precious treasure you’ve been chasing this whole time.”
“You’ll be the first I take down the moment I get the chance. Sleep with one eye open. Friendly advice.”
I head for the villa exit.
“You should thank me for not telling Inara I’ve known you since you were a kid! She sees you as a hero, but if she knew the
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Chapter 90
dangerous psycho you really are, she’d run.”
“Remember one thing: when I tell you Inara won’t sleep with that man, you better believe I’m serious.”
My voice is cold and threatening.
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“Funny to see you trying to protect her when you’ve been lying to her since the day you met! Once she finds out your real motives and everything you’ve hidden, you can be sure she’ll hate you just as much as she hates me!”
I storm out of the villa to keep myself from punching him.
My fists are shaking, my heart racing erratically.
Why am I in this state imagining her in another man’s arms?
I’ve never slept with her, so I won’t let anyone else do it.
It’s possessiveness, that’s all.
Of course it is. What else?
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AD
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